CAS 80-62-6 · REACH · European Union

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) under REACH

C5H8O2 · 甲基丙烯酸甲酯

Status: Registered. MMA is fully registered under REACH at the highest tonnage band (>1,000,000 tonnes/year). **Distinguishing pattern: PMMA polymethyl methacrylate (plexiglass / acrylic) primary downstream chain (~70 percent of demand) plus surface-coatings copolymer chain (~15 percent) + ACH acetone-cyanohydrin route (~50 percent globally) plus C4 oxidation route (~25 percent) plus BAMM ethylene-based Lurgi C2 oxidation route (~25 percent and growing as preferred new technology) + Flam. Liq. 2 plus Skin Irrit. 2 plus STOT SE 3 plus Skin Sens. 1 + sister to acrylic acid batch 39 ester chain (NEW combined).** Reg (EC) 1272/2008 harmonised: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225) plus Skin Irrit. 2 (H315) plus Skin Sens. 1 (H317) plus STOT SE 3 (H335). NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin MMA currently (verify against EUR-Lex https://eur-lex.europa.eu/ before invoicing).

MMA is fully REACH-registered with **light occupational hazard** (Flam. Liq. 2 plus Skin Irrit. 2 plus Skin Sens. 1 plus STOT SE 3); Skin Sens. 1 drives occupational sensitisation surveillance. NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD case, NOT in CBAM Phase 1. Major Chinese producers: Hengyi Petrochemical, Sinopec, Sumitomo Chemical Shanghai, Mitsubishi Chemical Performance Polymers China, LG MMA China. Production: ACH acetone-cyanohydrin (~50 percent globally) plus C4 oxidation (~25 percent) plus BAMM ethylene Lurgi route (~25 percent and growing). End-use dominated by PMMA polymethyl methacrylate (plexiglass / acrylic, ~70 percent of demand) plus surface coatings (~15 percent). TBC / MEHQ inhibitor critical for safe storage.

Listing and threshold

Substance Methyl methacrylate (MMA) (CAS 80-62-6), C5H8O2
Regime EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
Jurisdiction European Union (EU-27 plus EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market

Classifications under this regime

  • Harmonised CLP classification: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), Skin Sens. 1 (H317), STOT SE 3 (H335)
  • Signal word: DANGER
  • GHS pictograms: GHS02 (flame), GHS07 (exclamation mark)
  • IARC: Group 3 (not classifiable; verify against https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications)
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors or Explosives Precursors scheduling
  • ADR / RID transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1247 (methyl methacrylate, stabilised), Packing Group II
  • TBC (4-methoxyphenol / MEHQ) inhibitor critical for safe storage and transport (prevents thermal-runaway polymerisation)

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation list); verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/authorisation-list
  • NOT classified as SVHC (verify against ECHA https://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table)
  • NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction at industrial-grade level
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin MMA currently
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1 scope
  • EU Reg 10/2011 food-contact: MMA permitted as plastic food-contact monomer with SML applies

Importer obligations

A non-EU producer cannot register directly under REACH. The EU importer of record must hold a registration or rely on an Only Representative (OR). Light occupational hazard otherwise (Skin Sens. 1 drives sensitisation surveillance). Major Chinese producers (Hengyi Petrochemical plus Sinopec plus Sumitomo Chemical Shanghai plus Mitsubishi Chemical Performance Polymers China plus LG MMA China) compete with EU producers (Roehm / Evonik plus Lucite International / Mitsubishi plus Arkema) and US producers (Roehm / Evonik plus Lucite International plus Arkema) and Korean producers (LG MMA plus Sumitomo Chemical Korea plus Mitsubishi Chemical Korea) (verify each company-site pair against the producer's public website before relying on a specific plant).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II in destination Member State language(s) reflecting H225 / H315 / H317 / H335 classification
  • CLP-compliant labelling with GHS02 plus GHS07 pictograms and DANGER signal word
  • Customs entry with HS code 291614 (methyl methacrylate)
  • ADR consignment note for transport (Class 3, UN 1247, PG II)

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • **PMMA polymethyl methacrylate primary downstream chain** (~70 percent of demand): plexiglass / acrylic (architectural plus automotive plus medical plus signage plus LCD-light-guide-panel)
  • Skin Sens. 1 drives occupational sensitisation surveillance
  • NOT SVHC, NOT Annex XIV, NO active EU AD
  • NOT in CBAM Phase 1
  • Major Chinese producers: Hengyi Petrochemical, Sinopec, Sumitomo Chemical Shanghai, Mitsubishi Chemical Performance Polymers China, LG MMA China; China dominates global MMA capacity (verify the most recent Mt/yr and percent-of-global share against ICIS or S&P Commodity Insights before quoting; prior industry reports cited approximately 35 percent at ~2.5 to 3 Mt/yr)
  • Production routes: ACH acetone-cyanohydrin (~50 percent globally) plus C4 oxidation (~25 percent) plus BAMM ethylene Lurgi route (~25 percent and growing as preferred new technology with cleaner waste profile vs ACH HCN-handling)
  • TBC / MEHQ (4-methoxyphenol) inhibitor critical for storage; typical 50 ppm spec
  • End-use mix: PMMA (~70 percent), surface coatings copolymer (~15 percent), copolymers in adhesives plus printing plates (~10 percent), other (~5 percent) (verify exact split against ICIS before quoting)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for methyl methacrylate (mma), see the CAS 80-62-6 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the methyl methacrylate (mma) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of REACH, see the REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

Read next

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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